Article by Sam Kilgore
Over the past week, I was pleased to hear how many of you were interested in my column last week on Beach Shark Fishing. If you missed it, don’t worry! You can read that column and all the other past articles by going to www.coastalfisherman.net and clicking on the Issues” link.
In my previous column, I presented the general concept of surf shark fishing. Considering the scope of such a broad topic, I wanted to stress the importance of safety and shark preservation before explaining the actual methods.
I have learned the following techniques by using common sense (my wife and mother might disagree about “common sense”) and excellent advice from a few incredibly open minded and experienced anglers who did not discourage a guy with a passion for an unusual way to fish the surf.
Sharks
The main species of shark you are likely to catch throughout the entire year generally do not exceed 3-feet in length. However, we are going to talk about the sharks that put up a really good fight: the dusky, spinner and sandbar shark. There are other large species such as the sandtiger shark, but they pale in comparison when it comes to brute strength. Most of these sharks are very difficult to identify and many are federally protected, so make sure you practice catch and release.
Location
Location is very important when picking a stretch of beach to fish for sharks. Believe it or not, sharks are pretty much everywhere. They are cruising up and down the beach in between the sand bars feeding on skates, rays and smaller fish. I do not recommend setting up shark baits with families swimming nearby. I suggest finding a quiet, secluded area with plenty of room.
The Conditions
Water temperature and surf conditions can play a major role in the success of your beach shark fishing trip. I have found the warmer the water, the better. Sharks also like calm water, and so do I when I have to kayak 250 yards out to drop my bait! The best time of day to really get into some heavy action is just before and after sunset.
Tackle
Hooks: I use 18/0 - 20/0 circle hooks. Just like many other fish we target, a circle hook has a much better chance of not “gut hooking” a shark (the hook getting caught in the fish’s throat). I also try to use hooks that are not stainless steel and will rust quickly in case of a tackle malfunction after hookup. Also, there will be many occasions when it is much safer to cut your leader than try to remove a hook from a toothy mouth.
Bite Leader: You will need a length of line which connects to the hook that can take the punishment of a thrashing shark's mouth full of sharp teeth. Obviously, monofilament line can be cut easily, so wire leader is the way to go. If you are casting your bait, use at least one foot of wire leader. I use American Fishing Wire 49 Strand Bright 175lb test. If you are kayaking your bait, an 18-inch leader works. Crimp one end of the wire leader to a 200 lb. test barrel swivel. Now, you have your hook and bite leader.
Rub Leader: A shark's skin is like sandpaper and will rub against your line causing serious abrasions. If you are casting your baits, use at least 4-feet of 100 lb. mono rub leader. If you are kayaking your baits out, I suggest at least 6 to 8-feet of 200 lb. test mono rub leader.
Sinker: In order to keep the bait on the bottom, you will need some kind of weight. I use a heavy duty snap swivel as a sinker slide and slide it on my rub leader. The weight of the sinker will depend on the size of your bait, the distance (casting or kayaking), the water current and wind conditions. When kayaking out 300 yards or so, I've had to resort to using bricks to hold bottom. It works, but it's not much fun reeling them in.
Running Line: Once you have crimped your rub leader to your second snap swivel, then tie your main running line to the other end. When casting, you are going to be forced to choose between strength and length. Braided line can be useful in a casting situation considering it is very strong for its diameter compared to mono. I have found 40 lb. test Power Pro to be a good choice. If you are kayaking your bait, I suggest using a combination of 50 lb. mono and 50 lb. braid. The mono will be the first line to go out and the braid will be used as a backing. You could use all braid, however mono is less expensive to replace.
Rod: You can catch a feisty 5-foot sandbar shark on your standard striper or drum rod, but it is going to be quite a fight! I've lost too many big sharks on lighter tackle and that is not fun. Personally, I prefer to use heavier tackle in case that big boy swims by. For a casting rod, you are going to want to use a strong "heaver" such as a 12-foot casting rod with a good backbone. If kayaking, you can also use a heaver or a standard heavy action boat rod. I have used both and prefer a 6-foot offshore rod simply because it is easier to manage when beaching the shark.
Reel: When casting, you will need something you are able to handle and something that can hold a lot of line. You can use either spinning or conventional. I prefer to use the Daiwa Sealine –X. I recommend choosing the size after physically holding the reel. When kayaking, I use an inexpensive Penn Senator 6/0 or 6/0 "Wide". They hold plenty of line and have loud clickers.
Bait: Sharks have an incredible sense of smell, so anything bloody or oily will work, the fresher, the better. I have often used bunker, bluefish, kingfish / croaker heads and even left over pieces of tuna scraps. You can also use ray wings and feel confident the bait is going to stay on the hook for a long time.
Bait Deployment Techniques
I like to get my bait out past the outer sand bar. Considering the amount of leader required to land a shark, kayaking seems to be the best choice. Always wear a life jacket and have a spotter watch from the beach. You want to secure your baited hook and sinker so it doesn't pull loose when you are crashing through the waves but also have it accessible and simple to drop off once you are a few hundred yards out. Finding your own safe way to do this is best. Just be careful not to get tangled up and find yourself losing your balance and tipping over.
Getting past those breakers can be tricky to say the least. I recommend going out a few times without any bait or lines and getting a feeling for the kayak and learn how to manage it in the surf. It may look easy, but it is a different story when you are facing a wall of white wash. Once you have dropped your bait, take a minute to catch your breath and ride the wave in. Just be careful when you get close to the beach. Those waves crash on hard sand and you don't want the front of your kayak dropping down. You will find yourself chin to sand with a 50 lb. kayak on top of you.
Fighting a Shark
Once you get a nice shark on the line, make sure your drag is set properly. Too tight and you will break your line, too loose and you can get spooled. You never know how big the shark is, so you will have to get to know how your equipment works.
Handling a Shark
Once you have a shark in close, you want to use the waves to your advantage. As a wave crashes, try to keep the shark facing you and let the wave do the work. As you keep pressure on the line, walk backwards until the shark is on the wet sand. Once you have the shark in a few inches of water, you will need at least one person to help you get the shark a few feet from the incoming waves. You do not want to try to unhook a shark with waves crashing down and knocking everyone off balance. Hand your rod/reel to a friend and have him keep pressure on the line.
Wearing a pair of gloves, carefully get behind the shark and grab the base of its tail.
When feeling a new pressure on its tail, the shark will most likely thrash around and you may lose your grip. Do not be afraid to let go and step back if you feel safety is an issue. Once you have a secure grip on the tail, turn the shark around and pull it to dry sand. Once you have him beached, you need to determine if you are able to safely remove the hook. At this point, it is imperative to have two or more anglers. One person needs to hold down the shark and keep it from swinging its body back and forth.
Using your legs to steady the body is helpful; just remember how course the shark’s skin feels (you will definitely remember it later!). That same person carefully grabs the shark’s nose and pulls upwards opening the mouth. The other angler then determines if the hook can be removed with a pair of strong, needle nose pliers. If you cannot see the hook or it is in the back of its mouth, just cut the wire leader as close to the sharks mouth as possible.
The Release
Once you have removed the hook, grab the tail and pull the shark back to the water. Even if the shark seems too tired to move, don't let down your guard for a second. Get the shark into the incoming wash and turn its head towards the ocean. Utilize the momentum of the outgoing waves to push the shark back into the surf. Sometimes, they will swim right back out into the deep, but they can also be pushed back up onto the shore. Repeat this process until it swims away.
Keep in mind, this is obviously a dangerous way to surf fish and ALWAYS stay focused. Common sense goes a long way, and maintaining respect of the ocean, the hook and the shark is absolutely necessary.
Good luck, be safe and take pictures! I look forward to your reports. Feel free to email me at [email protected].
Sam Kilgore is an avid surf fisherman and administers AtlanticAnglers.com, a free, family friendly website devoted to helping anglers learn all aspects of fishing.